We're a Year!

A year ago this past Sunday Connections Community Church did not meet. We were holding our preview services in the fall of 2007 but had not officially launched.

We "launched" on the first Sunday of 2008. And we haven't missed a Sunday since.
As I look back I'm struck by the feeling most of us get as we travel down memory lane: in some ways it feel like ages ago. But in other ways it feels just like yesterday. (for time-bound creatures, we humans have such a funny way of experiencing the past)

Here are some of the highlights, simply off the top of my head:

Our first series was "Resolutions Worth Keeping." We talked about four occasions in the bible when some made a resolution, which is defined, "to be fixed in purpose." We took from these stories four resolutions for our church, all based on the desire to "seek first God's kingdom." (Matthew 6:33)

• To grow our worship service;
• To increase our volunteer based to 100 people;
• To launch our Connection Groups ministry in the fall with 200 participants;
• To see 52 people give their lives to Jesus- one for every week of the year.

I've prayed for, wrestled with, and thought about those goals all year long. Were they audacious enough? We they too small? Were they tangible enough that we could gauge our progress? Were they my hopes, or God's plans? Well, here's where we sit a year later:

• We grew to see over 200 people coming to worship with us Sunday mornings this fall. But we haven't felt the need to offer a second service.
• We increased our volunteer base to nearly 125 people. So more than half of the folks that worship at Connections also volunteers at Connections.
• We launched our Connection Groups with more than 100 people registered.
• We've seen many people tell us they have committed or re-committed their lives to Jesus, but this one is hard to gauge. It's very personal, plus, we don't want to "force" or manipulate people or decisions. Yet we want to be very intentional. So, by way of our communication cards or other direct communication, I've had 12 people tell me they made a first time commitment or re-commitment to Jesus.

In February we had what I thought was our most fun series of the year- "How to Look Good Naked." I've been tempted to try to turn this series into a book. I really think God was up to something in those messages.

In March we began a series that took us through Easter, "Vantage Point." We looked at the different points-of-view that many had about Jesus during his life, and today. (I also went on a ski trip in March and made a video sermon that was pretty fun, and went over fairly well.)

We called April our "Volunteer Appreciation Month" and gave out t-shirts to all our peeps. We moved into our Signs of Belonging series, which talked about what it looks like to be a part of a church, and part of the body of Christ.

• Soaring in Worship- making worship a priority, corporately and in all our lives.
• Studying God's Word- setting aside time 5 days a week to read the bible and pray.
• Stewarding God's Gifts- out time, our talents and our treasure (yes, money). Joining a Connection Group is a great way to help us in this area.
• Serving God's People- signing up for a ministry team, or helping us create new teams for our church and community.
• Sharing God's Love- picking 2 people we can intentionally pray for and invite into our lives.

We threw in there our "Connections Gives Back" mini-series where we highlighted the work of the International Justice Mission and our own crew of people who were going to bike across the US and Canada in "Sea-2-Sea: Ending the Cycle of Poverty." John Vandersteen, Mike Talsma and Thea Hiemstra together raised over $20,000 and joined more than 200 people, together raising over 2.1 million dollars. This was an AWESOME cause for our church to feel a part. I pray things like this will become the norm for Connections and our people. We also welcomed back Kat Zietsma who had been serving in mission to India and New Zealand.

When we hit the summer season we launched into a study of the book of Philippians that we called "Breakout." As a preacher/teacher I love series like this because it frees me to simply go where the bible text leads. I didn't have to think to far ahead. I was able to just come to each passage and say, "God- teach me." This is going to become my routine for the foreseeable future- each summer we'll work through a whole book or section of the bible- just taking the whole thing apart piece by piece.

In August we ran a series called "Into the Wild." I was blown away by the feedback I got from this series. We had four people commit/recommit their lives to Jesus. Plus, the band did the coolest cover of Hard Sun ever!

In the Fall we kicked things off with "Wiii Church." This is when we really seemed to get into the zone at Connections. Numbers came up, folks were getting involved, the family ministry was flourishing with Sarah DeVries at the helm, I put a renewed focus on our Media ministry, and we formally launched our Connection Group ministry.

More than 100 signed up as we started a semester approach to home-groups based on three guiding values: Common Purpose, Common Place, Common Possessions. Our purpose is Connections, our place is as neighbors in homes, and our life is to be shared together, even through caring for the material and physical needs of one another, in addiction to emotional and spiritual support. I could write for days about this, but suffice to say- we got off to a great start!

We also had our first Communion and Baptism service. No promises on what this will look like in the future, but for now, it's enough to see folks stepping forward and making this public profession of faith in Jesus and participation in His church.

All through October we sported some cool t-shirts as we went on the faith journey from: Petri(fied) to Justi(fied) to Sancti(fied) to Glori(fied). I thought it was super cool, maybe more than anyone else. Thanks for indulging my goofy ideas.

Our Game of Life series saw some great feedback and response. I got to make everyone uncomfortable as I talked about sex. Then I got to be uncomfortable as I talked about money. I already have plans to do a Game of Life series, Part 2 (there are just so many great games out there can we can use to dive into some great topics. Spoiler alert- Taboo is gonna make you all squirm!)

Finally, we ended 2008 with "The Advent Conspiracy." Worship Fully- Spend Less- Give More- Love All. Whatever our particular needs were, we hoped and prayed and planned for a great celebration of the incarnation of God, the birth of the Christ, Jesus.

Like Gerry Garcia once sang, "What a strange trip it's been."
Actually, it's been wonderful. I am humbled and awed
by all that God has done,
by all our volunteers have done,
by the incredible things we've pulled off,
by the worship the Music Teams draws us into,
by the love and care of our Family Ministry,
by the hospitality of our First Impression Team,
by the creativity of our Media gurus,
by the faith of our Prayer Ministry,
by all of our Connection Group facilitators and hosts,
by the reports of love and support our folks extend to one-another and neighbors,
by the work of people like Mike Talsma, without whom Connections would fall apart. (I could name others, but Mike does so much behind the scenes, I thought you needed to know.)

And more, I'm blown away to genuinely feel that we've only just begun. To feel that we've just taken our second step as a church plant. The first step was just getting started. The second step was getting this year under our belt.

I so excited to experience all the God has in store for us in 2009. If God could a simple idea (share God's love with people) and an equally simple plan (meet in a theatre to worship) and take us this far in one year, imagine what He can do with us now!

In January we'll be spelling the Soul Revolution that gonna change lives!

Intervention

Everyone who reads my blog has probably suspected that underneath my "tough-guy" facade is an emotional sap. Actually, my facade probably hasn't convinced anyone.

Anyways, my wife pointed me to this blog entry from a favorite of hers.
I read it.
I cried a little bit.
I was even drinking a cup of green tea while I read it, which just added to the fact that I'm a big wuss (Really, what kind of guy drinks green tea? You better be a Samurai if you're a man drinking green tea.).

My point, I think, is that we are all emotional creatures. For some reason I think guys find it easier to express emotion while reading a book or watching a movie. To be honest, I get weepy watching movies all the time. I even got a little teary at the end of "Iron-Man," no joke.

At the end of a year I find myself reflecting on the past. Some memories make me laugh, others excited, but a lot of them make me "emotional." Those memories, hard or painful ones, seem to surface quickly, powerfully.

I bring this up because this week I'm preparing for our upcoming series, "Soul REvolution." Some of my most important preparation isn't coming from books or study, but from prayer, fasting and reflection. If I'm going to preach/teach on the soul, I better look deeply into mine. It's an emotional journey.

What are you doing to prepare your soul for 2009?
And if you want to read a great story, do check this out...
http://thepioneerwoman.com/2008/12/intervention.html

Re-Position Yourself

This morning we looked at the story of Simeon and Anna in Luke 2:21-38.
Of the many beautiful facets of this story to explore I focused on this angle: Both of them had positioned themselves to encounter God. They went out of their way to be where God was going to show up.

As we move into 2009 I think it's a good question to ask ourselves: how will you position yourself to encounter God this year?
Have you been wanting to get more involved in worship?
Re-position yourself.
Have you wanted to know the bible better?
Re-position yourself.
Have you wanted closer friendships with some other folks from Connections?
Re-position yourself.

Do you want closer relationships with your family? With your neighbors? Have you been thinking about volunteering at church? Have you been thinking about volunteering with another community service or outreach? Have you wanted to take better care of your health this year? Have you wanted to get control over your finances...

Re-position yourself.

All of these, and many more, are ways we can grow in our relationship with God and re-position ourselves to encounter Him more this year.

Robin and I have been working on how we will re-position ourselves financially this year in order to give more, save more and spend less.

What are you going to do to re-position yourself in 2009? Let me know.

PS. I just did a Google image search to find a graphic to go with this post and found out TD Jakes has a book called "Reposition Yourself." Looks like once again I'm not original.

Merry Christmas From the Saylors

This week we did a lot of shoveling... sand.
Every time the kids went outside we had to really cover them up... with sunblock.
I really had to bundle up at night... by putting a shirt on.

OK, you get the point- we've had an amazing week in Naples Florida. Southwest Florida has been the hottest part of North America the entire time we've been here. We had one day that dipped down into the 70's (F). (I've been saying all week- I'm with the hottest woman in the hottest city!) We've basically spend everyday jumping between the beach and the pool. The kids play, Robin and I read, I go on a jog. That's a full day for us!

I really can't think of a better way for us to end a busy, amazing, adventure-filled year. This is just what our family needed.

Tomorrow (Christmas day) we jump on a plane and head back to London. And as wonderful as this has been, I'm now eager to get home and get to work on plans for 2009. I'm so excited to see what God does and how it unfolds at Connections Community Church.

I hope to see you all on Sunday the 28th for our end of 2008 wrap-up! (You'll be able to recognize me as the guy with the surfer-tan up front!)

Blessings,
George, Robin, Eden, Karis and Justin

Hardly Working

Some people have trouble disconnecting when taking time off.
Not me.
It's already three days in and now I'm forcing myself to actually let the world know that I'm gone.
Gone to Florida.
Here to see my family.
Loving life.
This is truly our "holiday."
Our way of making Christmas holy by being with my children, my wife, my parents, my grandmother. We are so incredibly blessed as a family. We are so blessed to be able to have time at the beach together.

So far I have read "the Shack," "Chazone," swam countless hours with my kids, gone on several runs, been buried in the sand... and actually, that's about it. It's pretty amazing how the hours can melt away doing nothing by playing with kids.

Now, I'm already eager to get away from the computer and back to work playing with my kids!
Peace.

Thanks John...

I'll assume my friend John made this video out of the goodness of his heart. Anyway- I love it!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Christmas Sweater Point System

Official Point System of Sweater Christmaweseomeness:

• 1. If your sweater has a nativity scene = +1 point
• 2. If your sweater has lights on it = +1 point
• 3. If your light is for Rudolph’s nose = -1 point
• 4. If your light is for the star of Bethlehem over your nativity scene = +4 points
• 5. If your sweater has actual bells and whistles from the Polar Express tied on by pieces of yarn = +2 points
• 6. If you can hear the bells = +2 points
• 7. If every time one of the bells rings, you get excited because an angel just got its wings = + 1 point
• 8. If your sweater has Luke 2 written out on it (the entire chapter) = +3 points
• 9. If it is KJV = +2 points
• 10. If it is actually a puff paint sweatshirt, which is really just a Christmas sweater wannabe = -3 points
• 11. If your sweater was knitted from the wool of a Bethlehemian sheep = +5 points
• 12. If you have snowmen/women on your sweater = +1 point for each snowperson
• 13. If any of your snowmen are inspired by Calvin and Hobbes = +4 points
• 14. If it is a maternity sweater that reads, “Mary is My Homegirl” = +10 points
• 15. If your sweater has stockings with your kids’ names on it = +1 point for each child
• 16. If the stockings are your kids’ used socks = -2 points for each sock
• 17. If it has a 3-D hologram of baby Jesus on it = +3 points
• 18. If it has real candy canes on it =+5 points…

How did you score?

• 0-3 points= Sorry to break the news, but you might be a cotton-headed ninny-muggins.
• 4-6 points= You’re rockin’ a mighty fine piece of holiday merriment. Just don’t wear your sweater and your light up reindeer antlers at the same time. That would be tacky.
• 6-9 points= “Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.” –Job 40:10
• 10-12 points= Bill Cosby called. He wants his sweater back.
• 13+ points= You have surpassed the 12 days of Christmas. You are the embodiment of Christmawesomeness. There are probably three men coming from afar to shower you with gifts as you read this.

God With Us

Here's a little teaser for what's coming this Sunday, December 14.

The Advent Conspiracy: Most Dangerous Baby

WARNING- SPOILER ALERT:

I'll probably preach this sermon soon. It's just that awesome, and too awesome not to share directly from the source.

The Most Dangerous Baby

How an infant in a cow shed overturns the brute force of Caesar.

by N. T. Wright | posted 12/09/1996 12:00AM

By the time Jesus was born, Augustus had already been monarch for a quarter of a century. King of kings, he ruled from Gibraltar to Jerusalem and from Britain to the Black Sea. He had done what no one had done for two hundred years before him: he had brought peace to the wider, Roman world—peace at a price. A price paid in cash by subjects in far-off lands.

Augustus "gave peace, as long as it was consistent with the interests of the Empire and the myth of his own glory," wrote Arnaldo Momigliano. There you have it in a nutshell: the whole ambiguous structure of human empire, a kingdom of absolute power, bringing glory to the man at the top, and peace to those on whom his favor rested.

Yes, says Luke, and watch what happens now. This man, this king, this absolute monarch, lifts his little finger in Rome, and fifteen hundred miles away, in an obscure province, a young couple undertakes a hazardous journey, resulting in the birth of a child in a little town that just happens to be the one mentioned in the ancient Hebrew prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. And it is at this birth that the angels sing of glory and peace. Which is the reality, and which the parody?

Here we have to pause, because the passage from Micah 5, which Luke intends to awaken in our minds, is so well known and so little attended to: "But you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, little among the clans of Judah—from you shall come forth the one who is to rule in Israel" (Micah 5:2). The passage is regularly cut off a verse or two early when read in public. Verse 4 launches a project that ought to make Augustus anxious: "He [the coming King] shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of YHWH, in the majesty of the name of YHWH his God; and they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth." But the next verse goes on: "And he shall be the man of peace."

How is this peace to be secured? This coming King, born in Bethlehem of Judea, will rescue his people from the hand of the foreign emperors. In Micah's day, this was Assyria; but Luke's readers would have transferred the meaning to Rome, and Luke would have hoped that subsequent generations would be equally adept at contemporary applications. Herod was worried by what the wise men told him. If someone had told Augustus what the angels had said to the shepherds, he would have been worried, too.

Suddenly, Luke's scene ceases to be a romantic pastoral idyll, with the rustic shepherds paying homage to the infant King. It becomes a clear statement of two kingdoms destined to compete, kingdoms that offer radically different definitions of what peace and power and glory are all about.

Here is the old king in Rome, turning 60 in the year Jesus was born: he represents perhaps the best that pagan kingdoms can do. At least he knows that peace and stability are good things; unfortunately, he has had to kill a lot of people to bring them about, and to kill a lot more, on a regular basis, to preserve them. Unfortunately, too, his real interest is in his own glory. Already, before his death, many of his subjects have begun to regard him as divine.

Here, by contrast, is the young King in Bethlehem, born with a price on his head. He represents the dangerous alternative, the possibility of a different empire, a different power, a different glory, a different peace. The two stand over against one another.

Augustus's empire is like a well-lit room at night: the lamps are arranged beautifully, they shed pretty patterns, but they have not conquered the darkness outside. Jesus' kingdom is like the morning star rising, signaling that it is time to blow out the candles, to throw open the curtains, and to welcome the new day that is dawning. Glory to God in the highest—and peace among those with whom he is pleased!

You see the two empires squared off against each other toward the end of John's gospel, when Pilate confronts Jesus with two questions: Don't you know that I have the power to have you killed? And, what is truth? That is the language of kingdom, power, and glory that the world knows. Notice how the two halves support each other. In order to be able to say, "Support my kingdom or I'll kill you," the pagan empire needs to say that there's no such thing as truth. And if someone not only tells the truth but lives the truth, the pagan empire has no alternative but to kill him.

Jesus responds by quietly reminding Pilate that all power comes from on high, and by getting on with the job of being the truth—living out truly the love of God for the salvation of the world. Luke's message of the baby in the manger stands over against even the best pagan empires, inviting us to contemplate the radical and total redefinition of truth, of peace, and above all, of kingdom, power, and glory.

Jesus had come as the Bethlehem Jesus, the Prince of Peace; and Jerusalem had refused his way of peace, opting instead for the way of the sword, which, as Jesus said to Peter, could have only one result. Jesus as an adult acted out the message the angels had sung at his birth; but, when he came to his own, his own received him not.

Once again, then, there went out a decree from Caesar, which had a profound effect fifteen hundred miles away: rebel kings get crucified. If you let this man go, said the chief priests to Pilate, you are not Caesar's friend. This, then, was what it would look like when the ancient promises were fulfilled, when the glory of the Lord would be revealed for all flesh to see together: a young Jew, riding over the Mount of Olives in tears, driving the traders out of the temple, and dying at the behest of Caesar's kingdom. And once again, Luke intends us to realize, the angels are singing that God is glorified and that the way of peace has been achieved after all. This is the ultimate redefinition of the kingdom and the power and the glory. Caesar's plans for his own glory are turned by God into the establishment of the true kingdom.

If Jesus is the true King of all the world, whose kingdom redefines power and glory so that they are now seen in the manger, on the cross, and in the garden, then to pray "Thy kingdom come" from the Lord's Prayer is to ask that this kingdom, this power, and this glory may be seen in all the world. It is not enough, though it is the essential starting point, that we submit in our own lives to God's alternative kingdom-vision; we must pray and work for the vision to come in reality, with the rulers of this world being confronted with the claims of their rightful King.

We cannot, then, pray the Lord's Prayer and acquiesce in the power and glory of Caesar's kingdom. If the church is not prepared to subvert the kingdoms of the world with the kingdom of God, the only honest thing would be to give up praying the Lord's Prayer altogether.

N. T. Wright is dean of Lichfield and a canon theologian of Coventry Cathedral, England. This article was excerpted from his forthcoming book, The Lord and His Prayer (Eerdmans, 1997), used by permission of the publisher.

Parents Night of Freedom

Connectors,

We have 4 more openings for the Parents Night of Freedom!
This Friday (tomorrow night), December 12, from 6-8pm an evening of fun for your grade-school age children (JK-5th).
All we ask is for a donation to the North West London Resource Centre Food Bank.
(Anything non-perishable that you like to eat.)

If interested email Sarah DeVries (sarahdevries@rogers.com) to find our the location and other details.

Merry Christmas,
George
ps. anyone living in the Oxford/Richmond area- Jennica Blydorp needs a ride to worship on Sunday's. If you live in or drive by that area and can pick her up, let us know and we'll give you her contact information. We really need to get a ride for her this Sunday- she's teaching the Connection Kids class!

I Love Survey Monkey!

If you ever need to get some information from a group check out surveymonkey.com

I wanted to get detailed information on how our Connection Groups ran this past semester. It was our first attempt at running home groups in a semester format. And while I'm biased to want the semester format work, I wanted some honest feedback, insight and response.

Of course you can please everyone all the time. This was never my intent. But with the survey I hope we can make the semester approach approachable and understandable for the most people.

Anyways, the results that are coming in are great. A few surprises, but mostly conformation that we are headed in the right direction. Here are some of the initial results...

• Most people were totally committed to their group.
• Most people had an amazing or great experience.
• Unfortunately a few people had a lousy experience.

Now some interesting analysis...

• Nearly 100% of the folks that reported a great or amazing experience also reported a very tight or strong connection with God.
• Nearly 100% of the folks who report a strong connection with God reported strong relationships with the people in their group.
• And, as you can guess, those that reported the strong relationships in the group had teh best overall experience.

What isn't surprising is the correlation between the overall experience and relationships in teh group. What is more interesting is the strong correlation between interpersonal repationships and feeling a connection with God.

What I didn't have space to ask this time, which I will next time, is to gauge a correlation between the Sunday worship experience, Connection groups, and how folks gauge their relationship with God.

Other interesting things:

• Considerations in signing up for a group from most to least important:
• Day- Time- Location- Leader
• Most folks are signing up again! Sweeeeeeet!
• Some of our leaders need a break, and the semester format is an easy way for them to step out for a term.
• While it wasn't a direct question, because it's not up for grabs, many folks added they liked the sermon-based curriculum.
• A few folks did indicate that a "focus" group would better serve their needs. Some want an age or stage specific group, others would like a more "academic" curriculum. While sermon based, intergeneration, community centered groups will be our "standard," we will be offering some other groups as folks step up to lead.

That's enough for now- we still have some surveys to analyze. I would have never guessed I'd become a stats geek!

Responding and Creating Growth

I've been thinking about next steps for Connections a lot lately. I finally figured out one piece of the puzzle. And while this may be obvious for you, this was a huge breakthrough for me.

Here's the background:
One area where we need to continue our growth is in the Sunday worship experience. I was convinced before we started Connections that there is biblical precedence and cultural relevance for the public gathering of worship and exposition of God's word (That's fancy preacher talk for preaching).

Basically, I put it this way- I think having a great worship service still works! I like worship, and I like "events," so I like a worship experience that feels like an event- a tight order of service, excellent music, a relevant biblical message, great use of media arts to help the experience flow, etc. People love this stuff!

Anyways, you know this, because this is what we do. And now we are seeing results. Attendance has grown, people have been bringing friends, and lives are being changed. We've had the baptisms to "prove it." People are going deeper into our church community. All of this is very exciting to me.

So, on to the break through...
What do we do with growth?

First- we must "RESPOND" to growth in the morning service when this becomes necessary. At some point the theatre will just feel too packed, probably when we are consitently breaking 250 in worship. We respond by moving to two identical services, or a video-broadcast service at the same time in the theatre. (There is of course the option to move to another venue, but for now I'm thinking about how we make the theatre work). This is an improvement/expansion of what we are already doing. This is one step.

Second- we must "CREATE" new growth by offering a new venue. If we add another service, at another time and location we have the oppotunity to reach a whole other group of people far from God. This is what I'm praying about, and where I need direction.

Right now I have no idea where this venue exists, but I think it's out there in London. I think there is a huge group of people that want to know God and gather in community, but who simply aren't going to get up and out in the morning. I think that if we offered a venue that felt raw and real, they would be open to checking it out.

London has nothing like this- no church that meets in a club, in the middle of the night life, that meets Sunday night, that can offer what we want to offer. I can't adequately articulate what it is, but I know it isn't out there yet.

I want Connections to offer it, because I want these folks to know and expereince the love of God that all of us Sunday morning folks are already experiencing.

Let me know if you find the perfect spot!

Giving Presence...

Gift Ideas For Relational Giving

The gift of time –

• Create a fun certificate stating the gift of time you want to give, for example, help with a project around the house or help with errands. Bring coffee, tea of lunch and flowers when you come, be intentional about really connecting while you’re together!

Here are some ideas for spending time together:
• Wrap popcorn, gourmet root-beer and a classic DVD for a movie night with a friend
• Host a Hockey Night in Canada party and make homemade pizza
• Wrap 2 copies of a used classic book to read with a friend
• Bundle up, grab a hot chocolate and take a walk through the Christmas lights in Victoria Park with friends or family

Give creative coupons:
• Babysitting for a worn out sister-in-law, sibling or neighbour
• Yard work for an elderly person in you life
• Massage for that person who has been working a bit too hard lately
• Road trip to go on an out-of-town adventure with your child
• Car maintenance to change the oil in a friend’s car (if you know now)
• House project to help build a shed, clean the garage, closets etc.

Give a certificate for a day together doing something that person is passionate about:
• A new bat and a trip to the batting cages
• A new guitar strap and trip to the guitar center to play guitars together
• A day trip with your cameras for the photographer friend
• A day hike together, you bring the lunch

Things to make with the kids:
• Simple scrapbook with pictures of time with the person you’re giving it to
• A home “published” story, written and illustrated by the kids, the time you spend with the kids creating it is priceless
• A DVD of your life these days for long distance friends and family

Ask yourself:

“What can I DO?” “What do they like to do?”

A side note:
This isn’t about creating a bunch of new rules to be legalistic about for Christmas. It’s ok to spend some money (in fact sometimes creating something cool can be much more expensive – so be aware of that) don’t create a whole separate set of pressures, worry and guilt by feeling like you can’t spend a dime. Just step out of the consumerism, be thoughtful and enjoy the celebration!

Don’t forget to visit www.rethinkingchristmas.com for ideas from people around the world.

And then there were 7...

Yesterday my life seemed calm, settled, in control.
Years ago Robin and I made a deal.
Lots of kids, no pets.
Then Robin came home yesterday from our Home School co-op.
And nothing will ever be the same again.
She brought home 2 guinea pigs.
Pray for me.
And pray for the pigs. I hope they really are both boys, otherwise, our basement will look like this in another few weeks...


(The "7" refers to how many mammals are now a part of the Saylor household.)

The Advent Conspiracy

This Sunday we kick off our December series- The Advent Conspiracy.
Watch the video to get an idea of where we're going.
It's a kind of grass roots movement. Here's what the website says...

Christmas can (still) change the world...

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.

So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy.

As a grass roots movement there is no prescribed way to take part- that kind of the point.
So this month this will be our slant...

December 7- Worship Fully, Worry Less
December 14- God in Skin
December 21- Hope Has It's Reason
December 20- The New Year Conspiracy

Don't miss out- join the revolution this Sunday!

I've been Wordled

Robin "Wordled" my last sermon series. Here's what came out...


Check it out at http://www.wordle.net/

Jesse Tree, and other random thoughts...

I've been having one of those weeks where I can hardly keep track of everything I want to write!
SO here goes...

Do something for Advent! Advent is the season of preparation for celebrating Christmas. So prepare! Do something for your heart this season! Read the Christmas stories (I'll post them later), listen to the words of the hymns and carols you hear on the radio, and maybe do something like we are doing as a family, the Jesse Tree.





Go to http://www.rca.org/Page.aspx?pid=1628 for an excellent resource. Here's a sample...

November 30
Scripture:	Isaiah 11:1-2
Reading:	God has a plan for everything. Long before Jesus was born lived a man named Jesse. Jesse had seven sons; the youngest was named David. When David grew up, he became a great king of Israel. God had a plan for Jesse and for his son David, even before they were born. Jesus was also part of Jesse and David's family tree, born many, many years after David. People waited a long time for the birth of the savior. The season of Advent is a season of waiting for us, too. We wait for Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is hard to be patient, especially when we are waiting for something wonderful like Christmas! But it is important to learn to be patient, and to trust that God has a plan for us, too.
Talk about:	Why is waiting so hard?
Prayer:	Dear God, we thank you that you have a plan for each of us. Help us to be patient as we wait for Jesus' birthday.

There you go- great for kids and grown ups too! You're only a few days behind- get on it!

Speaking of kids,
we pulled out the playmobile manger over the weekend. Best gift ever, thanks Sam and Kim Chez!

This year Karis took it upon herself to teach the Christmas story to Justin. It was enough to make a father's heart burst! But the priceless moment was when Eden tried to get in on the story. She declared that she'd play the role of God. Karis' response..

Eden, there's only one God, and you're not Him!

Speaking of Karis- she turned 7 today! She got an extreme make-over, 7 year old bedroom edition. Robin worked so hard- the girl better appreciate it.

Melissa's Story

Melissa gave permission to post her story on my blog...

"I wanted to share a little bit of my story with you today. I started attending Connections a while back not because I truly wanted to but because I wanted to make my in-laws happy and I also wanted my children to learn about God to help instill the values in them that will help them be good people in the world we live in.

I felt out of place at first, like I didn't belong - I had built up a wall around my heart that seemed would not or could not come down. There are probably many reasons for that - we all have our hurts and experiences of the past. But then something started to happen, I started to re-examine my life and realized that as good as my marriage was and as wonderful as our family is...something was missing.

There was a baptism service several weeks ago where George had invited people to come forward and be baptized if they felt the desire to do so. At that moment I wanted to come forward so bad but I was afraid and I was ashamed because I felt I was not worthy somehow. I wept that entire service for reasons I could not understand or explain, I didn't know what was happening to me. That night I didn't sleep, I couldn't turn off the questions and excitement that filled my head as the Lord's spirit was entering my life.

By the morning it was like a wave had crashed over me and all I could do was surrender my life to God and know that my heart, my marriage, my family, my entire live would be forever changed and it was such a wonderful feeling. I had heard of this spiritual awakening happening to other people but I honestly never believed it to be true until it happened to me.

So now I stand here ready to give my life fully to God, to ask for forgiveness and be washed clean and continue to live a new life reborn in faith and to celebrate knowing without a shadow of a doubt that no matter what happens in my life, I will never be alone. I am also truly blessed to experience this with Lukas and Owen as well. We were not in the spiritual place we are today when our boys were born. Through the grace of God their lives will be forever changed as well.

To quote my son Lukas, "The water will wash away all the bad things we have done (like hitting my brother) and we get a new heart that believes in and loves Jesus."


Melissa loves this song that her husband Fred shared with her. So we threw it into the service as well..

Dreaming Big to help the Children

OK, here's the article about Leah Shadd.
(And check out who wrote it!)

“Do you want to know my dream?” asks
Leah Shadd on her Snuggly Creatures site
(snugglycreatures.blogspot.com). “My dream
is to make stuffed animals and to give them to
children in poor countries around the world.”
Leah has a dream in her heart, a passion to
serve, and compassion for special needs children.
So despite her own physical challenges
with scoliosis and deafness, her creativity
knows no bounds. Two years ago she bought
her first sewing machine and since then she has
made over 124 stuffed animals.

Her dream is big: to connect with missionaries,
service workers, travelers and non-profit
organizations to send stuffed animals to all 195
countries in the world. Recently, Leah sent a
large package of her Snuggly Creatures to
Brittany’s Hope Foundation, an organization
that provides cribs for special needs children in
orphanages in Vietnam and Ethiopia. This past
summer she designed a beautiful butterfly toy
for her support child in Mexico. And the dream
continues: in March another 22 Snuggly Creatures
will be sent to a small village in
Nicaragua.

She is a remarkable woman.
Leah does not know if she will fulfill her
dream. What she does know is that there are
many children in the world who have nothing,
and her heart compells her to help. Her dream
is big, but with your prayers and suggestions
for partnerships in this mission she will keep
moving closer to making this dream come true.

by Robin Saylor is a founding
member of Connections
Community Church
(connectionschurch.ca).

CHRISTIAN LIFE IN LONDON
Visit us online at http://www.clilondon.com/
December 2008 -January 2009 Presented by the Christian Churches Network of London

Monday's Musings

If I'm out of the house, out with friends on a Saturday night, I'm free to have fun. But if I'm in the house, all I can think about is the Sunday service. The only problem was, we had 3 extra girls spending the night.
Fine, put them in the basement with some pizza, and let them have fun.
But things never go that simply.
One girl has some separation anxiety, so this was going to be her first sleep over!
But by 9pm things weren't looking good. We had to take her home
Meanwhile Justin and Karis would not go to bed with all this commotion.
Eden started to stress because her sleepover plans were falling apart, out of her control.
Have I mentioned how much control Eden likes to have? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
By 10pm another girl was ready to go home. There are reasons for this that would be very difficult to get into.
Eden had one friend left, but nothing went the way she hoped.
Things were looking bad on all fronts.

And I was bottling up all this energy, emotion, stress, etc.

We got through the night and got on to the service in the morning. Which was awesome, which I'll write more about later.
By last night I was exhausted, which is rare. All I wanted to do was watch the Steelers whomp New England (which they did) and go to bed. But we had our small group coming over.

And just when you think you have nothing left, you end up having an amazing time together.
It was one of our most beautiful times together- sharing, praying, and eating WAAAAY too much (the amount of snacks brought last night was insane!).

So what are my musing today after all this...

• Home can be a safe and relaxing place, but not always. Saturday nights are very difficult for me to be a dad/husband. But if we are having a sleep over, I need to man-up and do it!
• My tone sets the tone for the kids. I must let go of all anger, rage, bitterness and malice, just like I preached on two weeks ago. I can't hide it, bottle it up, or put it off- I need to get rid of it.
• I love my kids and their friends, and it is one of our most vital ministries to actually love our kids and their friends. Christians are always wondering how to love their neighbors. If your neighbors kids are sleeping in your house- LOVE THEM!
• Great community is energizing! I say it all the time, but our group is amazing!
• Quote of the night: "I'm getting more comfortable just talking like a Christian around people." In context it was very powerful for me. Just letting the love of Christ flow freely through our conversations with all people all the time. Not making a show of our faith, nor hiding our faith in a "tolerant" society. Just being who we are- people who are loved by God and love God back in return.

And I suppose that's all for now- lunch with a great friend and new father awaits!

PS, check out the article about Leah in Christian Life in London.
Leah, I'm proud to say, is one of those awesome people in our small group who I love!
http://www.clilondon.com/

Happy Thankgiving!

My circadian rhythms are crying out for turkey and pumpkin pie. You can put the American in Canada, but you can't take Thanksgiving out of the American!

For all of my life Thanksgiving morning meant the Turkey Bowl, and annual fundraiser where I grew up. Sometimes it included the Turkey Trot- a 10k run that was also a fundraiser. It always meant lots of pie thanks to my Grandma Babe.

One year Robin counted the pies and realized we actually had a pie-per-person for Thanksgiving Day. Now that's what I'm talking about! Pumpkin, apple, peach, blueberry, pecan- you name it, she made it.

While it may not be thanksgiving for many others around me- I am still thankful:

• Thankful for the freedom to be in Canada planting a church. This is the greatest adventure ever!
• Thankful for the amazing things happening in lives through Connections.
• Thankful for my extended family who are so willingly going to feast with us tonight ( I know- it's a big sacrifice to come over for turkey, sweet potatoes and pie).
• Thankful for all the many friends we have made the past two years.
• Thankful that they all put up with, or just laugh at, all my "American-isms."
• Thankful for Dana who gave Robin and I tickets to the Grand Theatre tonight- what an awesome way to celebrate!
• Thankful that I will NOT be shopping tomorrow in the states. So very, very thankful.
• Thankful for my three kids- the greatest kids in the history of kids! Eden, Karis, Justin- You ROCK!
• Thankful for my amazing, drop-dead-gorgeous, frighteningly intelligent, remarkably creative, culinary extrodinare, and most Godly woman in the world wife- Robin. You are my Shibboleth.

But most of all, I am every thankful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for loving me, for saving me, for using a man like me.

Monday's Musings

My first reflection this morning- It's not Monday. I'm late.

• The coffee was AMAZING on Sunday- Haitian Blue Fairtrade from Fire Roasted Coffe right here in London. Buy it. Brew it. Drink it. Give thanks to God!
• The cups are now bio-degradable- the next best thing to bringing your own!
• Evan did an amazing job for his first time leading worship at Connections. Now I'm sorry I made fun of guys who wear pants so tight they need vasoline to put them on. Forgive me Evan, and wear whatever you want- just keep leading worship like that!
• Robin cracks me up! And I forgive her. Read here if you want to know the story.
• The message on revenge touched a nerve. I've had some amazing follow-up conversations. People really have some heart breaking stories. I mean HEART BREAKING! I've heard things since Sunday that make me want to kick-butt and take revenge. But we have to break free from this poison before it kills us. You can listen to the message online if you missed it Sunday. http://www.connectionschurch.ca/sermons.html
• I'm still all messed up (in a good way) from the conference last week. I'll need to post more to process my thoughts.

Peace,
G

Sorry: The Game of Sweet Revenge

Fredrick Beuchner wrote-

of all the deadly sins resentment, or anger, appears to be the most fun. To lick your wounds and savor the pain you will give back is in many ways a feast fit for a king. But in the end it turns out that what you are eating at the banquet of bitterness is your own heart. The skeleton at the feast is you. You start out holding a grudge, but in the end the grudge holds you!

Listen to the whole sermon online at www.connectionschurch.ca or read the manuscript at cccsermons.blogspot.com

Sorry: The Game of Sweet Revenge

I think I need to say "I'm sorry" in advance of this coming Sunday.
We're in our "Game of Life" series.
Two weeks ago we talked about playing around with sex, and that applies to just about everyone.
Last week week looked at money, and again, everyone has to deal with and manage money.

But this week we are looking at "Sorry: The Game of Sweet Revenge."
So I have to apologize that this won't apply to many people.
Because very few people have ever felt hurt by someone.
Very few have ever had something unfair said about them or done to them.
And certainly, very few of us have ever entertained thoughts of anger, bitterness, and the desire for revenge.

But for the few of us who have ever looked inside ourselves and realized we've wrestled with these thoughts; for those of us who can confess that we've actually fantasized about getting some sweet payback or seeing someone "get what's coming to them," maybe this message will mean something to you.

(And if it isn't totally obvious yet- I think this message may be the most important message I've ever given at Connections. You don't want to miss this!)

Catalyst so far...

So far, so AWESOME!
Very worth my time to come down to Granger, experience this church, and listen to these speakers.
Here are some quotes of things they're talking about which have stuck out for me...

"Minor improvements to things that are broke are usually still broken."
~ Andy

"Make Sunday better on Sunday" (meaning, don't wait until Monday to evaluate- if something can be improved immediately, then improve it! But of course, evaluate the worship service in detail on Monday!)
~ Andy

"Chaos comes with momentum, and it must be managed. But don't manage away the momentum."
~ Andy

"The helpless church throws up it's hands and says, 'Why won't our people....?' The empowered church asks, 'How can we lead our people to...?"
~ Craig

"Don't hire for today. Hire for tomorrow."
~ Craig

And by far my LEAST favorite quote:
George, to Andy and Craig,

"Can I treat you guys to lunch?"

Craig to George, after a moment of silence...

"Well, we have plans already."

Oh well, you gotta try. At least they know my name now.

Next session about to start, later!

Catalyst

I'm getting ready to head to Indiana for a conference at Granger Church with my friend Mike. It's gonna be great. I'm hoping to hunt down the speakers tonight- Andy Stanley and Craig Groschel. I'm praying that they are staying at the Super 8. We could meet in the hot tub!

Of the many conferences out there here's why this one interests me: technology. More than any other churches these guys are leading the way. Communicating the gospel in the current languages of technology. They have something to teach me.
They are also many steps ahead of Connections. I want to hear how they got from the vision, to the first steps, to the amazing movements they've become.

• What did they do right?
• Where were their mistakes?
• How did they transition to staff?
• How did they transition to multi-services, multi-site?
• How do they get so many volunteers engaged?
• How do they get so many enrolled in home groups?
• How did the grow their media and worship elements?

OK, I'll just stop there. I'll never get all my questions answered, but I'll try to get at least three ideas to implement.

I'll let you know what I come up with.

The E Word

I must confess something- I throw the word "empower" around way too much. I throw it around because I want it to characterize my life, the lives of others, Connections, etc. But saying it, like so many things, is not the same as doing it, experiencing it, and growing it.

A lesson I learned a long time ago was the difference between asking somebody to do something, and giving them something to do. More often it is better to give someone something. By this I mean you walk along side of them, show them what you are doing, or what you hope will be done, and when the time is right, you give it over to them. You pass the baton, so to speak.

But there is another step- actual empowerment. When someone can take that task, that job, that thing, and truly own it. Then grow it. I found this list online that helped be think through the importance of true empowerment:

Empowerment is obviously better. But it can be overwhelming. There is a time to delegate and things to be delegated. But as the job/ministry/relationship matures, so should the level of empowerment.

Let me know if you have any great insights, articles, examples of empowering people for serving God. I'd love to grow in this area.

Food for Thought...

I pulled this off of one of the blogs I read.
What is so interesting is that this morning I read another post titled "Stop Marketing Your Church." It was Ok.

This was far more interesting because this is written by someone from outside of the church trying to offer us pastors advice. It got me thinking...

October 21, 2008

Time for an Almighty Rebrand

I found myself in a rather unusual position last weekend - on a pew in a church in Glasgow. One of my oldest friends was having his first born christened. He had managed, with the convincing promise of a post-ceremonial drinking session, to convince me to attend the event. So there I sat. In the back row. Dreading everything that the next hour promised to deliver.

To my surprise, however, the priest gave an extremely interesting and contemporary sermon. He talked about a Tom Cruise movie, post-modern philosophy and, of course, God. Despite, or indeed perhaps because of, his eloquence I began to consider all the factors that have deterred me and the majority of the British public from attending church regularly. This is, after all, a marketing problem: why don't people consume God?

We live in a society that has never needed God more. We are confused, unhappy, depressed, lacking spirituality, and lonely. Aside from previous world wars, the demand for God has presumably never been higher.

Despite this a recent survey estimated that the church's market share in the UK is only 7.5% of the population, and falling. The problem must therefore exist on the supply side. During the communion I worked out some marketing recommendations to solve the problem.

First, the effort to restore credibility in the ongoing wake of sex scandals must not wane. Transparency and complete disclosure is paramount.

Second, we have to change the leadership structure. Archbishops are not just leaders of the faith they are CEOs. We need men and women who understand God (on the supply side) but also the public (on the demand side) and have a strong sense of strategy (ideally a good MBA).

Third, the positioning of the church is wrong. We need to connect it with the needs of today's society not those of past generations, and it will take qualitative and quantitative research to identify these.

We will also need to position God against the true competition - consumer culture. People now get their answers from the brands that they consume.

We all question the value of different brands and ads within our culture, but never the consumer culture itself. Religion must reclaim its territory by showing consumer culture to be a less meaningful method for living out your life.

Fourth, we have to completely revisit the church's approach to marketing communications. Tatty pamphlets and screen-printed posters are ineffective, and aimed exclusively at existing worshippers. We need an integrated marketing communications strategy that embraces advertising (especially radio), direct marketing, PR, and a strong online presence.

Fifth, we need to scrap the traditional church interior. Hard pews and exposed brickwork are not consistent with market-oriented religion. Let's hire Imagination, the brand experience people, to come up with a better contextual setting for experiencing God.

How do we pay for this? Out with the weekly collection: is there any better example of the archaic status of the church than a bowl being passed around for loose change? Instead we will bring in a CRM strategy with different payment plans including easy-pay direct debit.

Society cries for salvation, but God's brand needs an overhaul. Will it work? God only knows.

Sponsored By: Brand Aid

Monday's Musings

Yesterday was one of the most challenging sermons I've ever preached.
It goes like this:

We have to talk about money- the bible talks about it.
We have to talk about money- it's a reality of our lives and a HUGE area of stress and confusion for many people.
But, it's such a sore spot for churches and people.

It's hard for people- we love to talk about money, just not our own money. More specifically, our spending habits.
It's hard for churches- we don't want to ever appear motivated by profit or greed.

I outlined the simple financial plan I was taught: 10-10-80
Give 10%
Save 10%
Live on 80%
As time passes, try to increase the first two.

I was given some great opportunities by my family. I was able to enter adulthood debt free.
Robin and I entered our marriage debt free. We've lived relatively simply ever since. We even lived in a dorm apartment the first 6 years of our marriage- now that's simple!
So we've given, we've saved, and we haven't gone into debt. (Actually, we have- we have a mortgage. I'm told not to think of that like debt, but I do. It still bugs me that we haven't paid off our house yet- but I'm working on it!)

For too long I thought I had it all figured out by living within our means.
But preparing for yesterday's message has really got me thinking and studying finances.

• Why do I still not really enjoy the spending part of my budget?
• Why do I resist firming up a budget that accounts for my spending before it happens?
• What would my giving look like if I took this more seriously?
• How far ahead might I be if I paid more attention to my savings?

My father once told me there are three stages to a mans life:

• First he's obsessed with sex.
• Then he's obsessed with money.
• I'm not saying what the third stage is.
• Nor am I saying I'm out of the first stage (Robin is so hot!)

But I've actually been praying, yes PRAYING, that I start to care much more about money.

• I'm praying I care enough to budget better.
• To give more.
• To save more strategically.
• And to enjoy spending.

The thing I realize is that I'm going to need help to do all this. I'm not wired to figure this all out by myself. I'm excited to see what unfolds. I'm also planning to preach a series on finances next year- tentatively set for April (I know- it's appropriate).

Until then we'll see how we get through this recession, the holidays, and who knows what else!
But no matter what happens I think we are entering a new age of living a more simple, more frugal life style. It's combination of new economic realities and changing cultural sensibilities.

But like I said, I'm no expert...yet.

Monopoly: Playing with Money

Perhaps there's only one thing more awkward than talking about sex in church- it's talking about money and spending habits.
So during this uncertain economic climate, join us this Sunday and prepare to feel even more uncomfortable!

Actually, I think it's going to be great, and it will be a great service to invite your friends. Chances are, if they are like the average Canadian...

• They are EXTREMELY WORRIED about the economy right now,
• have no idea how much they spend,
• don't know how to set or live on a budget,
• are up to their armpits in debt,
• have never experienced the peace of financial margin,
• have never known the joy of giving,
• and would list money as one of the biggest sources of anxiety in their life.

Connectors, we need to hear some good news in money matters. So join us Sunday morning, 10am at Silvercity Movie Theatre.

Operation Christmas Child

We've distributed more than 70 "Operation Christmas Child" boxes at Connections the past month. But all those boxes mean nothing unless you...

BRING THEM BACK TO CONNECTIONS THIS SUNDAY! NOVEMBER 16!

That's right, bring them back, filled of course, to help make this a very special season for kids all around the world. If you want to find out more about the project go to http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/occ/

If you didn't get a box and still want to participate, or if you miss our drop-off date, just go to The Upper Room Bookstore, 1695 Wonderland Rd. N London, ON.

Encouragement to our Volunteers

Connectors,

I am humbled to say that we've seen more than 200 people in worship for a month now!
More important is that behind those numbers are stories of changed lives. Some AMAZING stories.
God must be up to something, because none of us can take the credit.
But I will give you credit for this...

There is no way we could be doing without all of you!
You have risen to this occasion- you show up early on Sundays, you help out where ever it's needed, you do whatever it takes to create an amazing worship experience.

• From the friendly faces greeting guests;
• To a great cup of coffee;
• To clean, organized, AWESOME children programs;
• To our rocking music!

You all amaze me!
(And this is just on Sunday mornings! I know how much you do throughout the week in Connection Groups, in practice, in preparations, in visits and in prayer.)

As we come into the Christmas season we are going to see even more people coming to Connections, and connecting with God. We need to be ready.

So here are my top three reminders for our volunteers:
1. USE PLANNING CENTER! When you get an invitation to serve, accept or decline, don't ignore! Even better- block out dates! Take a few minutes, look at your calendar, and block out dates you can't or do not wish to volunteer. If you don't know how to use planning center online, ask for help!

2. The Sunday service starts at 9:30am. Take your role seriously because you are in a position of influence. How you do, or don't do, your job reflects on all of Connections. Please do it well. Greet warmly, usher lovingly, serve kids happily, play music joyfully... OWN YOUR JOB!

3. If you do the top two suggestions, there is no third! Our volunteers will be coordinated, prepared and in place. And if we do that, people are going to be AMAZED at what they experience on a Sunday morning.

• When someone greets them at the door, a wall comes down.
• When they are offered a cup of coffee, they begin to feel welcomed.
• When they see the family ministry team in place, they know we care.
• When they walk into the theatre, we begin to rock their world.
• When they see you worship, they want to worship too.
• When they hear God's word, their life can be changed forever!

This Christmas season I'm praying we see many, many people to receive the greatest gift of all- Life in Jesus Christ!
God is out there folks- He's changing people's lives, loving the lost and lonely. We can be a part of it if we choose.

I love you guys!
George

Being the Church

I just had the chance to help facilitate our ALPHA group tonight.
I didn't really have to be there- the people were more than capable of having dinner and conversation without me. But it was nice to feel needed.
But even better to just join in with a great group of people.

The topic of our video and discussion was the church. At first it felt a little weird (for me) to be the pastor of the church where these folks worship and to lead a genuine conversation regarding church. But all I have to say now is WOW! I think I learned more about being the church from this conversation than half the books I've read on church.

One comment from the video that impacted me and filtered into the conversation was this:

The question isn't are you going to church? The question is, are you going to be the church?

(At least that's how I remember it.)
When we grasp the biblical fact that church is not a building, meeting, or any one group, it begins to transform our understand. We begin to grasp that the church is actually us. It's not about going to church anymore, because we are the church, and the church is us, with us, in us. It begins to get into our DNA, and into the DNA of the people we gather with. It's like a shirt I saw one of our folks wearing:

"The Church has left the building."

Connections is a church because it's people connected to God and one another in Jesus. We aren't a building. We aren't even the church that meets in a theatre. We are the people of God, a holy temple, the body of Christ.

Tonight I had an amazing experience of church, because I was with some amazing people.

"Friendly" Church

I don't think there is a church in existence that would say it's "unfriendly."
According to statistics from Natural Church Development, nearly all churches mark "Welcoming" and "Friendly" as a high strength.
But they are dead wrong.

People mistake "having friends" with "being friendly." And once a church has people that are friends, they run the real danger of becoming unfriendly to outsiders.

I do a bit of speaking at other ministry events. (By the way, Connections doesn't really do special events- we want to make every worship service special, and one that our regular attenders will want to invite friends to experience.) I am never surprised by the lack of friendliness.

Now of course I find some friendly people, but I take note of all the little things:
The parking attendant who makes me feel like an idiot for not knowing where to park.
The greeter who looks like they just ate a lemon.
The stack of programs on a table, but no one to give them out.

Now I also can feel a bit put-out walking by a large group of people who are having a good time and who don't even turn to acknowledge me. But I focus on the people in the visible roles of leadership. When someone is wearing a shirt, a volunteer tag or clearly in a volunteer role, there is NO excuse for unfriendliness.

Now I write all this because of my concern- people are starting to become friends at Connections. And therefore I KNOW that we run the risk of becoming unfriendly.

So to my peeps at Connections- make friends, but stay friendly. The first impression can make or break someones decision.

The Game of LIFE: Twister!

I just finished the first draft of my manuscript for Sunday's message,

"Twister: Playing with Sex"

And let me assure you, this is definitely rated PG, maybe even PG-13.

This message is going to knock your socks off!! (That pun was definitely intended!)
We are going to talk about this game of sex and how it's played right. We will talk about winning this game, because God made sex and has a plan and purpose in making us sexual beings. This won't be graphic, but it will be real.

Singles and young people- you want to hear this message. This is not a game you want to lose- too much is at stake.

Parents, we are adding a classroom for our adolescents. For your kids under 10, you may want to take advantage of this.

See you Sunday!

Getting Excited

Are you getting excited about church? If not, something is wrong.
With the church.
With you.
Or a combination.

The church should be a source of the most exciting, inspiring, engaging things in your life.

We think that by creating committees and congregational meetings people will feel a part of the church. They'll feel "ownership." And accordingly, they will be excited.

Let's follow that line of thinking:
I own car.
A Ford Taurus. A good, reliable, economical car.
But I've never once been excited about my Ford Taurus.
In fact owning the car, while practical, useful, and ultimately worth the time and trouble, is more of an excitement killer than excitement producer.

A lot of things we hope will create ownership and excitement about church really end up creating frustration and resentment. Committee's for example, are usually just one more meeting, one more argument, one more belabored decision making process that didn't really have to happen.

A committee doesn't need to decide on the bulletin. 2-3 people need to work on it.
A group doesn't need to a review web designs- 2 people should stay on the cutting edge.

I would rather have fewer people working in more specific areas in which they actually exercise their gifts and decision making.

But I'm left wondering where we can get a lot of people feeling empowered in the church? Right now, at our size, we still have more needed jobs to be done than people to fill them. But I'm trying to think ahead.

One thing has been on my mind lately in this area- I get so excited about upcoming series. I think about them, pray about them, study for them. So I'm bursting at the seams before they start.
How can I share this excitement?
By more collaboration.
I want to get more people contributing more ideas to our series.

Imagine the excitement generated if just 50 people feel a part of the upcoming series- they've contributed ideas, art, music, video, drama or other insights. They each have 5-10 people that they share this excitement with.
We have 250-500 people getting excited about a series before it even starts.
Because they were a part of forming it, or know someone intimately who has shared their excitement.
That's the power of actually getting excited about church.

Team Leadership- from Lifechurch

I agree with everything he writes...

Team Leadership

Posted: 04 Nov 2008 04:13 AM CST

I don’t like committees. Big groups of people rarely make the best decisions and often slow things down.

When I talk about leading as a team, I am NOT talking about ministry by committees.

On any good team, there is a head coach. Someone must be in charge. But if the coach is wise, he’ll build a team of coaches.

In any ministry, I suggest the following:

• One leader who is ultimately responsible for the direction of the ministry.
• Three to seven people who become some sort of a leadership team. (Two is not enough. Three drastically improves the dynamics. More than seven becomes bulky. For some reason, I like odd numbers.) This could be an advisory team, executive team, leadership team, directional team, or whatever suits your purposes.
• When possible, the people on the team should be a diversified group.
• Each person has an equal voice—but the leader reserves the right to make the final call. (On our team, it has been years since I have overridden the wisdom of the team. I still reserve the right at any time to make the hard call.)

Monday's Musings

Robin and I have been frustrated lately with people's lack of vision. We've been asking people, good people, God-loving people, what God has been doing in their life lately. Many look back at us with a vacant stare. It's like we're speaking another language. They don't get the question. It's sad.

If God so love the world he sent his one and only Son...
If the Son loves us so much he came to us...
If he died for us...
If he rose from the grave to conquer sin and death...
If he ascended into heaven and sent us the Holy Spirit...
If the Holy Spirit lives in us...
And if Jesus is coming back...
And if we really believe that God is active and alive...
And that we have a RELATIONSHIP with God through Jesus...
(and not just a religion we practice)

Then is only makes sense that we should see God doing things in our world and in our lives!

This is NOT putting God to the test.
This is putting us to the test.

If you don't see God doing stuff in your life, the problem isn't God.
It's you.
Because I can promise you that God is alive,
and doing stuff.

So pray that you actually move from religion to relationship. From believing, to participating. Pray that you'll have eyes to see and ears to hear how God is at work.
And pray that you can be a part of it.

Don't be surprised when He answers. Be grateful.

The Game of LIFE: Trivial Pursuit

November 2, 2008

The words of the teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

Meaningless! Meaningless! Says the teacher.
Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

This month we are going to look at how we play certain games, and in looking at how we play these games I think we are going to learn more about ourselves than countless hours of conversation. I think that as we examine how we play certain areas of life, we are going to uncover a lot of stuff inside of us. A lot of stuff that we might not be aware of. A lot of stuff that has gone unexamined in our lives. Stuff that impacts what we think about ourselves and how we play out our lives. We are going to look into some very specific games that will reveal some very specific things in us.

But the things we are talking about are not ultimate just a bunch of "games." Losing is really going to cost you. Losing can even cost you your life. SO we are going to look at how these games are played, what are the rules, what's at stake, what losing means, and what winning will look like. We want you to win in every one of these areas of life!

We are going to look at Twister: Playing with Sex. How we play out sex is going to tell us a whole lot about what we think of ourselves, others, relationships and life. PLEASE TAKE NOTE- this will be rated PG-13. We will be offering an extra classroom next week in one of our theatres for your children.

We are looking at Monopoly- Playing with Money. How we play with our finances is going to reveal so much about our values.

We are looking at SORRY- the game of sweet revenge. WOW, this is going to shed light on our view of relationships and forgiveness.

Finally we are looking at one of my favorites- RISK- the game of world domination. In this message I’m going to reveal my personal plan for world domination- just kidding. I’m not revealing that plan just yet.

But we start by taking a more birds eye view, looking at a classic game- Trivial Pursuit.

This morning as we talk I want you to consider two game boxes- one is titled Trivial Pursuit, just like the game. The other here is called Meaningful Pursuit. Obviously, I want you to see this as an analogy of your life. And as we talk this morning, I want you to consider which box better represents the way you are playing the game of life. Which game are you really working at- is the sum total of your life a game of Trivial Pursuit?
Or is the sum total of your life a Meaningful Pursuit?

Listen to the sermon at www.connectionschurch.ca

Longing to Worship

I had the most encouraging text from a friend this past week.
He let me know that he couldn't be at the worship service because of his work.
Then he added that-
it pained him that he would miss the worship service.
That's enough to make a pastor's month!

Why do we go to church to worship?
Because we have to?
No, we don't have to.
Because we want to!

• Because we want to sing God's glory.
• Because we want to hear the bible taught in a relevant way.
• Because we want to see our brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Because we want to serve on a Ministry Team and make a difference in people's lives.
• Because it's in worship that we feel most alive!
• Because we feel encouraged, uplifted, stretched and challenged all at the same time.

For some people this is a totally foreign experience- to actually want to be in worship.
If you know someone who's in that category- invite them to Connections this Sunday.

• They'll hear laughter in the lobby;
• See people hugging and loving on each other;
• Hear a band that rivals most any group you'd pay to hear;
• And listen to a preacher who teaches people about "manscaping."

(OK, that last part might not be the best selling point for our worship service.)

The Game of LIFE

Hey Connectors,

This Sunday, November 2, 2008, we kick off our "Game of LIFE" series.
We'll be talking about a classic game each week, and how it relates to the game of life. This Sunday it's "Trivial Pursuit." What are the trivial things that consume so much of our lives, and what is the most "meaningful pursuit" of our lives.

I promise that everyone who comes out to play is gonna leave a winner this Sunday!

Information is Service

You know the old expression,

"Information is power!"

I'm tweaking it-

Information is Service!

When folks are involved with Connections and understand Connections- our mission, how we operate, what our programs are, etc- then they can better serve. And we can better place them where they need to be.
Recently one of our volunteers apologetically told us she didn't feel comfortable in the volunteer role we put her in.
GREAT- now she knows something about herself and we can put her in role that fits better.

Information helps people to:
feel empowered;
help visitors;
point other people in the right direction.

Information doesn't put them in a position of power, it puts them in position of service.

So I encourage all our volunteers and attenders-
Get informed,
and get serving.
If you don't know, ask.
If you know, serve.

We have to work together to make this mission happen!